Knee Injury in Green Park, MO

Knee Injury in Green Park, MO. Suffering a knee injury has the power to disrupt your day to day living, and often persists with long-term symptoms. A knee injury can happen to anyone in Green Park, MO. People of all ages, genders, and activity levels can experience a knee injury. However, knee injuries are most commonly caused by aging, exposure to repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and sudden movement or trauma that can happen in accidents and when engaging in physical activities.

If you have any symptoms related to the knee — pain, buckling, stiffness, swelling or irritation — you could be suffering from a knee injury. For your swift and successful recovery, contact Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury in the Green Park, MO area. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will design a treatment plan to maximize your recovery and restore you to optimal movement.

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What Do I Need to Know About Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest joint in the human body and is pivotal to many of the actions, motions, and functions that are unique to humans, making it possible for us to accomplishing the complex tasks we use every day to go about our lives. The knee consists of four distinct structures, all of which are susceptible to injury. The knee is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

The bones of the knee include the tibia, femur, and patella. The bones are bound together by groups of muscles, tendons, and ligaments that work together to make it possible for us to stand, sit, walk, and move. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, ligaments act to provide stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Inside the joint, the ends of the bones are capped by a layer of cartilage. The cartilage tissue cushions the hard bones where they meet and absorbs the shock of movement and weight that introduce pressure to the joint.

All the different components of the knee’s anatomy, both hard bone and soft tissue, are essential to the knee’s ability to function as a strong and healthy joint, and damage to any one or more of these areas can cause a knee injury. If you or a family member have recently experienced an acute trauma in or around your knee or suffer from a chronic condition that could cause damage to any part of the knee, reach out to Axes Physical Therapy to discuss the best choice for the treatment of a knee injury in Green Park, MO today or book an appointment online now.

Knee Injury Statistics in in Green Park, MO and the US

The knee is a sophisticated part of the human body — an impeccably constructed joint that allows us to move and act in ways that are unique to humans. However, the intricate joint design brings with it an inherent susceptibility to a variety of injuries. In fact, knee injuries account for the most common type of sports injury, attributed with 41 percent of all sports injuries. But sports injuries make up only one type of knee injury that people in Green Park, MO and throughout the US commonly experience. Though young people more often get knee injuries from sports and other physical activities, older adults who sustain knee injuries most often do so in acute injuries involving falls and ramps or through chronic conditions like osteoarthritis.

Learn more about knee injuries through the following facts and statistics from Society for Academic Emergency Medicine:

Teens and young adults (patients ranging in age from 15 years old to their late 20’s) are the most likely to suffer a knee injury
Men experience knee injuries far more often than women, with 68% of knee injury patients categorized as male
Half of all knee injuries take place during physical activity
Of all sports-related knee injuries, soccer and skiing are the most dangerous sports and activities, each responsible for more than a quarter of all sports knee injuries
Other top knee injury causes are related to home structures at 30.2% and home furnishings at 13.6%
By far the most common type of knee injury is a strain or sprain, making up 42.1% of all knee injury cases; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and cuts and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Most Common Green Park, MO Knee Injuries

Sprains and Strains. When you sprain or strain your knee, a muscle or ligament within the joint is affected. Injuries of this nature are caused by sudden force to the knee or a sudden or unintended motion of the knee (for example, suddenly stopping to change directions or twisting).
Fractures. A fracture describes a broken bone, and these kinds of injuries range in extent from a hairline fracture or crack in the bone to a much more brutal break like a comminuted fracture when a bone shatters into several pieces. Even the kneecap bone, called the patella, can be fractured in a knee injury, especially in car accidents, hard falls against solid objects, assaults and other catastrophic events.
Cartilage or Ligament Tears. Injury to the ligaments and cartilage in and around the knee are often caused by a blow to the knee from various directions. Twisting, pivoting, and other sudden changes in direction can also result in a meniscus tear — the cartilage padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. If you have been diagnosed with or believe you have suffered an ACL injury learn more about our treatment and therapy services for Green Park, MO ACL tears in your area.
Arthritis. Many different types of arthritis exist and each patient has their own unique experience of their condition. However, if you suffer from arthritis or a similar condition and experience knee injury symptoms like pain and limited mobility, you may have an arthritis-induced knee injury. You may even be at risk of developing bone spurs. Without the proper quality arthritis treatment for joint health, you face rapid and irreparable damage to your knee joint cartilage. The right care that targets the underlying cause of your pain can prevent further damage
Tendonitis and Inflammation. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is commonly found in individuals who regularly perform running, jumping, or cycling activities. A common form of tendonitis in the knee is jumper’s knee because of the strain to the tendon that occurs as a result of the repeated force of hitting the ground when landing a jump.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Green Park, MO

Being overweight. Heaviness or obesity introduces inordinate stress on the majority of your joints including your knees, even during ordinary activities such as walking or going up and down stairs. It also puts you at increased risk of osteoarthritis by accelerating the breakdown of joint cartilage.
Muscle or bone weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles help stabilize and protect your joints, and adequately flexible muscles can help you safely achieve full range of motion.
Certain activities and occupations. Some athletic and occupational activities put more strain on your knees than do others. Alpine skiing with its rigid ski boots and harsh landings, the near constant and rapid change of direction in basketball, and the relentless force of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all increase your risk of knee injury in Green Park, MO. Jobs that involve repetitive stress on the knees like auto work or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
Previous Injury. Being injured in the past makes it more likely that you’ll injure your knee again.
Old age. As our bodies age, the tissues in our body wear down. The cartilage protecting your knee joint can wear thin, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis leave your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

Do I Need Knee Injury Treatment in Green Park, MO?

As with any medical condition or injury, each case is different and it is important that you speak with a licensed healthcare professional any time you experience a condition such as a knee injury that affects your ability to function normally or live comfortably. After all, who wants to go through life with chronic pain or any sort of physical limitation, especially in a part of the body as critical to movement and daily life as the knee?

While each injury and patient is different, in some cases emergency medical attention should be sought. Specifically, when you suffer an acute knee injury, noticeable swelling is a warning sign that you need emergency medical attention. According to Yale Medicine, swelling after a knee injury indicates a serious injury that necessitates immediate medical care. Immediate, significant swelling that occurs in the three to four hours after an acute trauma impacts the knee is usually a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

Types of Treatments for Knee Injuries in Green Park, MO

The right knee injury treatment for your condition depends on the nature of your injury, your overall medical condition, and many other factors that the trained eye of a clinically experienced, licensed Green Park, MO physical therapist with Axes Physical Therapy will identify and examine. Often, a knee injury can be managed with conservative treatment and, with the right movement medicine and timely intervention, you will be back up and running (and walking, standing, jumping, and everything else you love to do) within weeks. However, each Green Park, MO knee injury patient is different and every injury varies in severity, so your knee injury treatment plan in Green Park, MO should reflect that.

When you need knee injury treatment, you may be looking at the following common treatment options.

Medications. Your doctor may prescribe medications to help relieve pain and to treat the conditions causing your knee pain, such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout. Over the counter anti-inflammatory medications can also help manage symptoms as your knee injury heals.
Injections. Injections to the site of the knee injury, such as corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid, have, in some cases, been helpful in reducing pain and improving mobility.
Physical Therapy. Physical therapy focuses on movement health and correcting the problem at the source. For your knee injury, physical therapy may include treatments that strengthen and stabilize your knee and surrounding parts of the body, increase flexibility and range of motion, improve balance, and correct technique in physical activities.
Surgery. Surgery is reserved for severe knee injuries and patients who have not had success with less invasive treatment methods. For a knee injury, surgeries can range from partial knee replacement, total knee replacement, or surgeries removing aggravating tissue or bone. If your knee injury treatment team decides that surgery is your best option, other treatments such as physical therapy will be critical in the preparation of and recovery from the operation to help you return to strength and full use of your knee joint.

Knee Injury Physical Therapy in Green Park, MO

As a valued knee injury treatment patient with Axes Physical Therapy in the Green Park, MO area, you will work with a dedicated physical therapist who will lead your knee injury recovery for the entirety of your knee injury physical therapy treatment plan in Green Park, MO. With extensive clinical success guiding knee injury patients back to optimal performance, your physical therapist will draw upon their extensive education and the most current evidence-based practices to help you successfully heal from your Green Park, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you love and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

When you visit Axes near Green Park, MO for your first appointment after a suspected knee injury, your physical therapist will conduct a full injury screening and evaluation of your condition. From providing a full and accurate picture of your overall health to consistently practicing the prescribed treatments and exercises, you are a critical piece in your knee injury treatment puzzle. It is imperative that you take an active role in your knee injury physical therapy treatment.

Your physical therapist will devise a custom treatment plan to eliminate pain and other symptoms, repair tissue damage, and restore your mobility. To this end, your physical therapy treatment may involve a variety of treatment modalities to target your knee injury.

Stretches and exercises
Gait and posture training
Heat and ice therapies
Ultrasound
Electric stimulation
Kinesiology taping
Soft tissue massages or knee joint mobilization

The physical and occupational therapists at Axes Physical Therapy in the Green Park, MO area have successfully treated hundreds of patients with pain, injuries, and chronic conditions and have restored their ability to do the activities they care about. Discover more about the conditions we treat and the treatment methods we provide near Green Park, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Green Park, MO Now

If you recently experienced a knee injury or are experiencing symptoms of any type of knee injury, do not waste any time. Contact a trustworthy healthcare professional right away. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Green Park, MO will help you understand your injury and design a tailored treatment plan that works for you. Contact our Green Park, MO treatment professionals or find our facility that is most convenient for you to begin your healing journey and obtain relief from your knee injury.